Red flag warning issued for mountain areas

Gusty winds coupled with tinder dry vegetation and low humidity have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning for region’s mountain areas Wednesday into Thursday.

Winds are forecast to hit 15 mph to 30 mph, with possible gusts of up to 50 mph Wednesday, particularly along the Interstate 5 corridor, raising the risk of a “rapid spread of wildfire” in the area, the National Weather Service warned.

The red flag warning will be in effect from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday, with the strongest winds likely to hit overnight, the weather service said.

Temperatures in the Burbank-Glendale region are expected to reach into the 80s on Wednesday under sunny skies, and climb into the 90s on Thursday.

Temperatures in the greater Pasadena region are expected to remain in the mid-80s through Thursday.

The fire season has started unusually early this year, with multiple wildfires having already scorched more than 51,000 acres across California this year, the L.A. Times reported. At this time last year, only 19,000 acres had burned.